The Setting

The Brink of Ruin
The great invasion of the Empire by Archaon the Everchosen, Lord of the End
Times is over. At great cost the allies of the Conclave of Light have beaten
back the hordes of evil. And what a cost! Town, city and country lays in ruins.

Archaon's Horde has spread misery and death across Ostland, Hochland, and
Middenland. Tens of thousands are homeless and starving. Their fields have been
burned, and their homes left in ruins. Confronted by the full horror of Chaos,
many are the folk who have been driven insane through terror and misery. The
forests are crawling with soldiers and peasants who have abandoned their gods
and bartered their souls to the all-conquering power of the Dark Gods.

Though Middenheim has been defended to the last and Archaon's horde is
shattered, the remnants of warbands and Beast Herds still lurk throughout the
northern Empire. Zundap was overrun with verminous Skaven, who have turned the
old steam mill into an unholy hive of rat creatures. Brass Keep is just an empty
shell. Its dark corners are home to strange beasts and twisted spawn, and the
warriors of the Dark Gods gather in its ruined towers and cellars.

Man and beast alike are now in a battle to stay alive. Food and shelter is
scarce and much of it tainted by the touch of the Dark Powers. In desperation
survivors gather together to take what they need by force. Elsewhere the remains
of once proud regiments of soldiers have been despatched to cleanse the
countryside of the remnants of the enemy. Without proper provisions they too are
reduced to living off the land.

Many see the Chaos invasion as proof that the Empire is corrupt and has lost
the favour of its founder god Sigmar. Zealots, flagellants and crazed preachers
gather together to punish the evil doers whilst Witch Hunters investigate anyone
who they think may have been contaminated.

Skirmishes
In this blighted countryside warbands fight for supremacy and for survival.
Looting and mayhem is the order of the day and dog eats dog. In the ruins of the
towns warbands eke out a living from the wreckage. There are all sorts of
valuable to be found. Bodies still lay rotting after the fighting and deserted
homes yield sustenance. The competition for these scraps is fierce. The
countryside is little better. Farmsteads are deserted and rivers polluted. The
remnants of the attackers still roam the land fighting whoever they meet and
despoiling what they can't take away.

Terrain
Skirmish games in the Storm of Chaos Aftermath can be played in a variety of
locations. The ruined cities and towns will be familiar to Mordheim players and
exactly the same rules can be used. Battles may also be fought in the
countryside. There is a potentially a huge variety of terrain from open fields
to forest, swamps and mountains. All of those are covered by the Empire in
Flames supplement to Mordheim. Lastly there are the tunnels beneath the
Ulricsberg. Originally delved by the Dwarves they have been extended and
modified. Since the partial detonation of the Skaven Doom Hemisphere the tunnels
have been home to human and Skaven mutants. Rules for playing in tunnels were
originally published as part of the Khemri - Land of the Dead setting although
an updated version is included here. These can also be used for the catacombs
and sewers beneath the towns or even the interiors of castles.